Giggs won’t rush into solo role

Ryan Giggs says he has no immediate plans to step into management after Manchester United confirmed his exit from the club.

Giggs is leaving Old Trafford after 29 years as a player and coach to pursue his managerial ambitions after Jose Mourinho took over the reins from predecessor Louis van Gaal.

Giggs, who made a record 963 appearances for the Red Devils, had one more year on his contract as assistant manager but Mourinho is expected to give that role to Rui Faria.

The Old Trafford club had hoped Giggs could be persuaded to stay on in a different role but the 42-year-old Welshman has decided to move on.

Giggs said: “After 29 seasons at Manchester United as a player and assistant manager, I know winning is in the DNA of this club – giving youth a chance, and playing attacking and exciting football. It’s healthy to have high expectations, it’s right to expect to win. Manchester United expects, deserves, nothing less.

“This is why it is a huge decision for me to step away from the club that has been my life since the age of 14. It has not been a decision that I have made lightly. I’ll take away so many special memories as well as a lifetime of experiences that will, I hope, serve me well in the future.

“However, the time feels right and, although I have no immediate plans to step into management, it is where I want to be.”